


Those Three Words

by gebachte



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-11-27 02:35:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20940875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gebachte/pseuds/gebachte
Summary: Penelope returns to the school after the Triad incident determined to see Josie, but Josie has put up some walls. (Also, for the story's sake I've ignored Hope yeeting herself into Malivore)





	1. Chapter 1

There had been rumors going around school all morning. Everyone was on edge, nobody wanted to be caught in the crosshairs if the rumors were true. The rumor of a certain raven-haired witches return didn’t shock anyone, especially after the recent events including a certain brunette Saltzman twin getting shot it was only a matter of time. Since hearing about the events of the Triad attack the raven-haired witch had only one goal in mind, to come back to her Jojo and never let her go again. The problem was no one had heard from or seen the brunette Saltzman twin all day, well almost no one.

Penelope knew that coming back wouldn’t be easy, but she thought she would surprise Josie and show her how much she cared. Josie must have found heard she was back and hid. Obviously, Penelope had checked the girl's usual spots, but Josie certainly wasn’t making it easy for her. As Penelope circled around to the library again the answer to her problems appeared to her.

The vampire had been hiding in the corner of the library pretending to study all morning, hoping he wouldn’t have to see the raven-haired girl or the blonde twin. Maybe if he avoided them, he could actually keep his promises. 

When he heard the familiar heel clicks ring out into the unusually empty library he felt himself freeze. He knew he was going to be breaking a promise, either to the approaching witch or his best friend. Not that he was surprised, the witches had always put him into these kinds of positions and honestly, they should know better. He couldn’t resist Josie's puppy dog eyes and Penelope's stare usually broke him almost instantly. Be strong, he thought as he heard the witch approach. 

“MG.” the witch said firmly from behind him. 

“Yup,” he responded in a high-pitched squeak. He kept his head down staring blankly at his History of Magic textbook. 

Penelope walked in front of MG and stared down at him. MG could feel himself squirm under her intense and unyielding glare. 

“What’s up Peez?” he tried again with a slightly lower voice before looking up towards her. 

Penelope didn’t bother to respond she just raised her eyebrow and slightly tilted her head. 

“Aw man if looks could kill, I’d be long gone.” MG thought. At the slight smirk that appeared on Penelope’s face, he realized his mistake. “I said that out loud didn’t I?” 

“Yup,” she said with a smirk knowing she had already broken him. 

“Do you think that you could teach me how you do that? It’s very impressive.” 

“Your attempt at flattery isn’t going to distract me from why I’m here.” 

“Come on Peez, I made a promise,” he said sadly as he attempted to mimic Josie’s puppy dog eyes. 

“Yeah, and you promised you would tell me where she was,” she responded unfazed by the boy’s pleading. 

“She’s going to kill me,” he whined. 

“She might set you on fire, but she isn’t going to kill you,” causing the boy’s panic to briefly turn into a grin. “Please MG, you know she can’t hide from me forever.” 

“Ok, but don’t tell her I told you.” he looked at Penelope hopefully. 

“I promise I won’t,” she said giddily. 

“She’s been hiding in the kitchen all day helping the cooks, but they are on a break now so she should be alone.” 

“Thanks MG,” the girl said as she turned to leave. 

“Wait,” he called causing Penelope to stop and turn back, “Go get your girl Peez.” 

Penelope stood in the doorway watching the brunette she had been searching for all morning. She had wanted to talk to her so much, but now that the moment was here Penelope couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous. She knew that Josie loved her, even if she couldn’t say it, and Josie knows how Penelope feels about her, but that doesn’t mean that this conversation will be easy. 

Josie was peacefully reading a book on her lap with a soft smile and her beautiful giggle escaping her every so often. Penelope knew she shouldn’t stare when the girl was completely oblivious of her presence, but she also knew that once the girl saw her, she would stop smiling and that beautiful smile was all Penelope ever wanted to see on Josie’s face. 

Penelope knew that it wouldn’t be long before the cooks returned from their break and despite her fears and the sadness that she felt about ruining Josie’s mood, she knew she couldn’t delay their conversation any longer. Penelope gathered herself quickly before slowly walking towards the other girl. 

Josie froze as she heard the heel clicks approach. Her smile had quickly vanished, but her eyes remained firmly glued on her book. 

“Hey Josie,” Penelope said softly, but Josie continued to ignore her. 

“I’m back,” she tried again with no success. 

“I know you’ve been avoiding me all day, but we really need to talk,” again Josie remained unmoved. 

“Look, I heard about you getting shot and I realized that I can’t stay away from you because of some future that scares me. Even when I wasn’t here all I could think about was what you might be doing and if you were ok. This made me realize that I want as many days as possible with you. Even if those days are limited.” 

Penelope looked longingly at Josie and walked in front of her. Their eyes connected and Penelope saw how empty Josie’s eyes looked. Suddenly Josie turned around so her back was facing Penelope again. 

“You’re just like everyone else,” Josie said dryly refusing ook back at the other witch. 

“What?” Penelope asked softly trying not to further upset Josie. 

“You left. Just like everyone,” she hesitated but continued. “Everyone leaves me. My dad always leaves me behind to deal with the school, Hope, or Lizzie. My mom is always leaving me behind for some overseas trip. Jo died and left me behind twice. Lizzie keeps leaving me behind to hang out with her new best friend Hope or some boy. And you,” she paused slamming her book on the counter and her voice filling with hurt and anger as she spoke. “You were the one person I thought would never leave me, and you left me and ripped my heart out in the process, twice.” 

Penelope felt like she had just gotten punched in her gut. The last few words from Josie hurt her so much. She loved Josie so deeply and never wanted to hurt her, but now she truly understood how much her leaving had affected Josie. She stood there staring blankly as Josie picked up her book and resumed reading, or at least pretending to read. Josie’s smile from before was gone leaving behind a look of sadness that made Penelope feel fully helpless. 

After a few minutes, Penelope regained her thoughts and composure and was determined to turn this conversation around. 

“Jojo” 

Josie’s heart skipped at the familiar sound of her nickname reserved solely for Penelope. 

“I know I hurt you. I really thought I was helping by letting you go, but I see now that all I did was hurt you. I thought I left for your sake, but I know now that a part of me left for myself and didn’t consider your feelings in all of this,” she said softly taking a small step towards Josie. 

“I realize now that no matter what happens I should be with you because you need me,” she paused hoping Josie would turn around. 

“I need you,” she continued. 

“And most importantly, I love y-” 

“NO!” Josie screamed interrupting Penelope turning around and standing up, dropping her book on the floor in the process. 

Her face was red with anger as she struggled to keep her voice steady. 

“Don’t you dare say those words!” she spat. 

“But they’re true,” Penelope said pulling back slightly. 

“No, those words mean nothing. When people say them nothing good ever happens.” 

“What do you mean?” Penelope looked at Josie and saw anger and pain in her eyes stronger than she thought anyone was capable of. Penelope wanted nothing more than to never see her look that way ever again. 

“WHAT DO I MEAN?!” Josie barked, causing Penelope to flinch. 

“That’s exactly what my dad says right before he cancels plans. That’s exactly what my mom says as she leaves for a trip. That’s exactly what Jo said before we killed her. That’s exactly what Lizzie says before she leaves me to hang out with Hope or some boy. And that’s exactly what you said right before you left me.” 

“Oh Josie,” Penelope said reaching out softly. 

“NO!” Josie screamed as she recoiled from Penelope’s grasp. 

“Why couldn’t you have stayed away?” Josie started to tremble as she continued. “I can’t do this again. I wish you stayed away so that I wouldn’t have to watch you leave again.” 

“I am not leaving you this time,” Penelope replied firmly. 

Penelope stepped towards the trembling girl slowly. 

“I will not leave you no matter how many reasons I have to leave.” 

Penelope stopped within an inch of Josie looking right into her eyes but hesitating to reach out and push the girl further away. 

“You might not be able to hear those three words, but I care about you more than I had ever thought possible and this time you don’t have to worry about me leaving.” 

As her hand reached towards Josie’s face, she felt herself be propelled back by magic flowing from Josie. 

“No, you’re going to leave,” Josie responded coldly, almost like something snapped within her and her eyes became empty again. A small fireball forming in her hand. “So, this time it will be on my own terms. Leave before I make you leave.” Her lack of emotion would have scared anyone, and maybe it did frighten Penelope a little to see her sweet Jojo so cold and broken, but she knew that this was Josie’s defense mechanism and she couldn’t watch the girl slip further away. 

“No.” Penelope stated firmly. She refused to let Josie mask her pain again and ignore her feelings like she has always done because she would fight for Josie even if Josie didn’t want to admit she needed someone to fight for her. 

“No?” Josie questioned as the fireball in her hand flickered slightly. Josie seemed so shocked that she didn’t successfully push the girl away, which hurt Penelope even more. 

“No, you can burn off my hair again, I could get thrown against a wall again, you could even throw yourself down the stairs again, and I will still stay. You cannot push me away because you and your stupidly selfless flaws are worth fighting for.” 

The fireball slowly faded as tears formed in Josie’s eyes. 

“How can you say I’m worth fighting for, nobody has ever thought I was enough.” Josie shakily responded. 

“That’s not true!” Penelope replied with anger forming towards whoever made Josie feel that way. 

“I’ve spent my entire life trying to be the perfect daughter, perfect sister, perfect student, perfect girlfriend, and perfect person, but it’s never been enough.” she paused. “Everyone still leaves me, because I’ve never been enough.” 

Penelope’s eyes fill with rage. Rage at Josie’s parents for not giving her more attention. Rage at Lizzie for not noticing Josie’s pain. But mostly rage at herself for abandoning Josie and making her believe she wasn’t enough. 

“Josette Saltzman,” Penelope firmly stated as she pushed against the magic still flowing from Josie. 

“You have always, and will always be enough,” the magic flowing from Josie began to get weaker as Penelope got closer. 

“You are a caring, wonderful, and good person and anyone who isn’t willing to stay with you,” she paused as she lightly cupped her face forcing their eyes to connect. “They don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve you, but I will always fight for you.” She stopped and lightly moved the girl's hair behind her ear before continuing. “No for us.” 

At that Josie’s knees buckled and she let out a soft whimper. Penelope knelt down and allowed the girl to collapse into her arms. 

“I’m here now and I’m not ever leaving,” she whispered as she gently stroked back Josie’s hair. 

Their foreheads lightly touched causing Josie to silently release the sobs she had been holding back. 

“It’s okay now Jojo. I’m not going anywhere.” 

Penelope listened silently to the girl’s breathing to remind herself that she was really back with her Jojo. She began silently praying that she would never go another day without listening to that incredible sound ever again. 

As Josie’s breathing slowed, she looked into Penelope’s eyes and after a moment whispered almost inaudibly, “Please, Penelope. Don’t say those three words. I don’t think I could handle it if you left again.” 

Penelope had never seen someone look so broken. Josie’s shoulder’s sagging and her eyes red with tears. The girl looks like she was supporting the weight of the world on her shoulders and that the slightest breeze would be enough to completely break her. At that moment Penelope wanted to scream how much she loved Josie, but she knew that the girl needed time and for Penelope to wait for those words to be spoken. So, Penelope continued to gently stroke Josie’s hair and met her eyes. 

“Hey, it’s ok. If you can’t hear those words today, or tomorrow, or next week, or even ever that’s ok. There are a million ways that we can show how much we care about each other, but I hope that one day you will trust me enough to hear those three words.” 

Suddenly Josie leaned up and placed a soft kiss on Penelope’s lips before leaning back and whispering, “I know that with you I will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is from Lizzie's perspective. It's a bit of setup, but I think you all will enjoy it.

Lizzie had been looking for her sister all morning. She was furious. “She promised she would wake me up and to breakfast with me,” she muttered to herself, “but instead I wake up to an empty bed just in time to miss breakfast and know I’m going to have to eat lunch alone.” 

To say Lizzie was upset was an understatement. She was fuming. She absolutely hated eating alone, she always felt so vulnerable without her sister or her friends there and Josie had promised they would eat together since Raf, Landon, and Hope left with their dad on some mission last night. In fact, Lizzie was so upset that she didn’t even notice whispers of Penelope’s return until she stopped out of the library hoping to find her sister there. 

As she stopped just outside of the library, she heard a younger student whisper just a bit too loudly “How do you think she’s handling Penelope’s return?” She suddenly understood why she couldn’t find Josie. She started to feel angrier, no longer towards Josie, but towards the raven-haired girl who had broken her sister’s heart. 

“Of course,” she mumbled to herself “she’s not hiding from me, she’s hiding from Penelope.” 

Lizzie glared at the gossiping witches she overheard until they ran off. She tried to think of where Josie could be hiding, but she had already checked all her usual spots, but then again Penelope know those too so it would have to be someplace different. 

Lizzie felt like giving up but noticed a certain vampire trying his best to hide behind a comic book. 

Of course, Josie must have told MG where she was and now, he’s trying to hide from Lizzie and Penelope. 

She huffed before quickly walking up to the boy and snatching the comic away. 

“Hey, I was reading that,” MG said trying to sound convincing. 

“No, you were trying to hide behind it,” she stated flatly receiving a guilty look from MG, “Anyways haven’t you already read that Green Lantern issue?” 

“Yeah I have, but there’s this thing called rereading that you do when you really like a story,” MG smirked, “And how do you know that I’ve read this one?” 

“Hey! Stop trying to distract me and tell me where my sister is.” she quickly said to avoid admitting that she asked Josie for a list of MG’s favorite comics because although she made fun of his comic book obsession, she secretly loved them. 

“No can do,” he replied simply, “However, if you asked where a certain other person was, I could point you in their direction,” he replied pointedly. 

“Ok MG, where is Satan anyway?” 

“Hey, you know she has a name, right?” 

“Just give me her location,” she said angerly. 

“Just give me her location!” she said angerly. 

“Nope, I don’t know any Satans,” he teased. 

MG grinned proudly as Lizzie scowled and eventually gave in. 

“OK! So where is Penelope?” 

“Oh, she’s in the kitchen.” 

With that Lizzie was gone without another word and MG flopped down. 

“She’s gonna kill me,” he huffed sadly. 

Lizzie ran to the kitchen as fast as she could. If Penelope was with Josie for even the length of Lizzie’s conversation with MG, she could have broken Josie again. Lizzie’s blood boiled at the thought of Penelope hurting her sister once more. 

When she got to the kitchen she almost burst in when she heard her name and froze, cracking the door open slightly. 

“Lizzie keeps leaving me behind to hang out with her new best friend Hope or some boy.” 

Lizzie felt her heart break. She wasn’t trying to leave her. She was just afraid. After everything that had happened lately Lizzie wanted to give her some space to sort out her feelings, she wasn’t trying to leave her. Well maybe even before all that she didn’t prioritize Josie enough, but she loves her so much and would never want to hurt Josie. 

As she snapped out of her thoughts she listened again and heard how gentle and caring Penelope sounded. She heard the regret in her voice and knew those three words were coming. She couldn’t help but feel happy for her sister even if she found Penelope a bit infuriating. 

But just as she heard Penelope start, “I love y-” Josie had cut her off, “NO.” 

What? Why was she so upset Lizzie thought. Losing herself in her thoughts once again. 

“Those words mean nothing.” 

Lizzie felt her heartbreak at this. What kind of sister am I she thought. Do I not give her enough love? Does she not know that she’s the most important person to me, she’s my sister I would do anything for her. 

I didn’t know she felt that way. 

She was pulled away from her thoughts again by her name when Josie said, “That’s exactly what Lizzie says before she leaves me to hang out with Hope or some boy.” 

Oh would, she thought. Lizzie felt tears form in her eyes, “Does she actually think I don’t love her?” she whispered. 

She watched as Josie screamed and tried to push Penelope away in utter silence not willing to break it. She heard her sister say that nobody thought she was enough. 

Josie is more than enough everyone making her feel worthless are idiots she thought. But that means I’m an idiot too, I was one of the people making her feel that way she thought. She couldn’t bear the thought of Josie being afraid of not being enough. 

Lizzie decided that this had gone on too long and that she had to talk to her sister and somehow show her that she truly cares. 

As she watched Penelope hold her sister as she broke down in her arms. Even if Penelope infuriated her, she knew that Josie needed someone who would fight for her, and Penelope is that someone. Lizzie knew that she would have to wait to talk to Josie. This isn’t the time she thought as she walked away from the kitchen, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t confront some people in the meantime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not as good at understanding at Lizzie's perspectives so I might take a while for the next update, but I do have a few ideas I'm working on.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it, any comments would be appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> I've had a basic version of this written for a while and I was avoiding some school work and edited a bit, and since Legacies is coming back I thought this would be as good of a time as any to publish this.
> 
> I have a basic idea of a second chapter, probably involving Lizzie, if anyone wants some more. This is the first fic I've written so I apologize if it's trash, but it's the best I can do for now.


End file.
